What's going on in your shop? Show us whats going on, and talk a bit about your work!

Experimented with better handle finishing today... Shaped a puukko handle with 80 grit AO, then cleaned it up on a 240 and 400 j-flex, then buffed. Fairly happy with the results.
 
First pulled swedge that I'm happy with.
Ebony and wharthog-ivory

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Don't know that I ever saw a nikiri with a negative angle tip like that ... but you did a beautiful job.
 
Haven't been in the shop much lately between crazy OT at work (32.5 hrs last week) and my back being messed up, but I did manage to make an adapter plate with my CNC to mount the laser to the CNC linear table. Downloaded lightburn, still learning it, but I did manage to do some testing. Had to tweak some settings to get the device into laser mode, set the x and 7, learned to go from current position to start projects, etc. Found out I needed to switch some wires on the 3 pin cord, broke the connectors, ordered a new 3 pin kit 1mm - 2mm pitch size, then found that it was a 2.54mm pitch connector, so I got lots of little electrical connections now! LOL.

Adapter plate is MDF currently, but I will do a new one out of Micarta or G10 eventually. I just did the drill feature with the 2.5mm bit and opened it up manually with the correct drill bit to make sure I have the dimensions right! So if anyone needs an adapter with M5 size screws spaces 70mm across and 40 mm vertically and M3 screws in a 16mm x 40mm square, I can now make that adapter! It was the first time I was able to make a cnc program from measurements and have it come out right!
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100mm/min, 100% power, (AENBUSLM 20W laser with built in air assist) using CriCut vinyl, doesn't etch the logo on the blade really. I tried putting the vinyl on the blade and then lasering off the logo itself (instead of weeding it) and that worked as a resist and I tried doing magnacut 64 hrc as well with the laser, but the etching wouldn'g go through it? The letters may be too small for the laser to really burn through, or I need another pass. It looks like there was a thin, clear film on the smaller letters that burned through fully on the logo itself, so I may bump the letter size up a hair; it's pretty tiny!

And with the laser running! This is when I was testing the logo on the blade thru the cricut vinyl. Did up to 3 passes at 100% power, slow speed (100mm/min), just left a little dark mark.
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Work in progress. Just a hobbyist making a knife for my dad. 154cm steel and axis antler, clip point hunting knife about 9.25" OAL, 4.25" blade and 5" handle. It's been rough ground and headed for heat treat. I haven't done a full knife build in several years, but still do factory re-handles semi-regularly for gifts.
All the work done on a 1x30 belt sander, but this father's day I think I'm making the investment into a 2x72 since I want to dabble in blacksmithing as well. Looking to forge some knives after I get some experience with basic metal work.

 
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I just finished this up, and I'm so happy it's finally ready to send it to its new home overseas :)

The sheath has mounting point for a standard pocket clip, but Albatross was designed for neck carry, (hence the name lol).

The necklace is made from kevlar cord and the length is adjustable. The snaps are stainless steel, and are held to the sheath via brass screws for easy removal. It's made this way so that there's no way the necklace will strangle anyone, the snaps will break free. The thread wrap over the adjusting loops is a heavy waxed polyester thread which could be relied on in a pinch for a little extra cordage- suited for traps, or shelter etc. The loops are sewn up, so it will hold together if you need to rob the waxed thread for anything.


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Thanks for checking out my thread!
 
Well my shop right now is ah well, very unfinished haha but yeah. Mainly i do blacksmithing, not bladesmithing so my tools in that area are quite minimal. Belt grinder and angle grinder and that's basically it lol. {edit, I also have an orbital sander}
Been doing damascus billets by wrapping the stacked flat stock with baling wire to keep it together.
 
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